Tag: Pakistan vs Australia

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf achieved a major milestone during the recently concluded second T20I of the three-match series against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

The Green Shirts succumbed to a 13-run defeat as Australia attained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with one match remaining.

During the first innings, Haris earned his place in the record books by claiming four wickets for just 22 runs, helping his team restrict Australia to a total of 147-9.

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This impressive performance brought his total wickets to 107, equaling Shadab Khan as the highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in T20I cricket. However, he took only 72 innings to take 107 wickets, whereas Shadab achieved it in 96 innings.

Moreover, Haris Rauf also recorded the best bowling figures by any visiting bowler in Australia, leaving behind Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara, who took 4-31 in 2017.

Most wickets for Pakistan bowlers in T20I cricket

• Haris Rauf — 107 wickets in 72 innings
• Shadab Khan — 107 wickets in 96 innings
• Shahid Afridi — 97 wickets in 96 innings
• Shaheen Shah Afridi — 96 wickets in 72 innings
• Umar Gul — 85 wickets in 60 innings

Best T20I bowling figures by visiting bowlers in Australia

• 4-22 – Haris Rauf (Pakistan) in Sydney, 2024
• 4-31 – Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka) in Geelong, 2017
• 4-36 – Krunal Pandya (India) in Sydney, 2018
• 3-4 – Chris Woakes (England) in Canberra, 2022
• 3-6 – Tim Southee (New Zealand) in Sydney, 2022

READ: Spencer Johnson’s five-fer steers Australia to series win against Pakistan

Opening batters Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk came out all guns blazing, smashing Australia’s fastest fifty in T20I cricket in only 19 balls.

However, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan brought Haris Rauf into the attack, who provided the breakthrough with the wicket of Fraser-McGurk (20 off nine) in the fourth over with 52 runs on the board.

Australian captain Josh Inglis also fell prey to Haris in the same over without opening his account.

Abbas Afridi was brought in from the other end and he castled Matthew Short on the last over to leave Australia reeling to 56-3 in five overs. Short top-scored with 32 runs from 17 balls which featured four boundaries, including two sixes.

Glenn Maxwell (21) and Marcus Stoinis (14) then knitted a cautious 30-run stand from 29 balls for the fourth wicket before they both fell to Sufiyan Muqeem in consecutive overs.

Pakistan bowlers prevented Australia from making a comeback as the hosts struggled to score freely while losing wickets at regular intervals.

Aaron Hardie was the only notable contributor from lower-order with a 28-run knock from 23 innings with one boundary and one six. It’s worth noting that he was the only batter to hit a six after openers.

Abbas Afridi removed Hardie and Spencer Johnson on back-to-back deliveries in the last over but missed out on a hat-trick on the last ball of the innings.

Haris Rauf led the bowling attack with the figures of 4-22, while Abbas took 3-17. Sufiyan Muqeem grabbed two wickets and gave away 21 runs.

SYDNEY: Australia have won the toss and elected to bat first in the second T20I of the three-match series against Pakistan at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here on Saturday.

Australia opted to go with an unchanged side, that defeated Pakistan in the rain-effect first T20I in Brisbane. Meanwhile, Pakistan have replaced Haseebullah Khan with left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem.

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Playing XIs

Australia: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Josh Inglis (c)(wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah

READ: ‘The King is back in his territory’: Ravi Shastri warns critics of Virat Kohli

Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad launched a scathing criticism against Pakistan batters after a humiliating defeat to Australia in the rain-effected first T20I in Brisbane.

Australia after being invited to bat first posted 93-4 in seven overs courtesy of the brilliant power hitting of Glenn Maxwell (43) and Marcus Stoinis (21) against a formidable pace attack of Pakistan.

In response, Pakistan managed 64 runs at the loss of nine and succumbed to a 29-run defeat.

Ahmed Shehzad expressed his disappointment with Pakistan’s batting performance on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, calling it ‘shameful.’

“Such a shameful display from Pakistan batsmen. Looks like Pakistan’s on a runaway train,” he posted.

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In another post, the opening batter urged senior players to take more responsibility, as they showed little resistance against the Australian bowlers.

“It was a truly disappointing performance by this Pakistan batting lineup. Youngsters like Sahibzada, Haseebullah, and Abbas showed intent, but it’s a team game, and Pakistan’s bowling won’t save them every day,” he posted.

“The seniors need to step up their game. Shot selections were poor, and we’re missing power compared to other teams.”

Pakistan and Australia will next face each other on November 16 in Sydney, while Hobart will host the third T20I on November 18.

READ: Broadcasters urge ICC to release Champions Trophy 2025 schedule: reports

BRISBANE: Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis’ power hitting, coupled with excellent pace bowling, led Australia to a commanding victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected first T20I here at The Gabba on Thursday.

While chasing a massive 94-run target in seven overs, Pakistan managed 64-9, losing by a margin of 29 runs.

The visitors had a horrible start to the run-chase as they lost six wickets in 3.2 overs with only 24 runs on the board. None of the top six batters managed to reach the double figures.

Haseebullah Khan (12) and Abbas Afridi showed some resistance with a 23-run stand for the seventh wicket before the former fell prey to Nathan Ellis.

Adam Zampa bowled Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah off the final two balls to seal Australia’s victory. Abbas remained unbeaten on 20 off 10 which featured two fours and one sixes.

Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis took three wickets each for Australia, while Zampa took two and Spencer Johnson managed one.

Earlier, Maxwell (43) and Stoinis (21) displayed brilliant power hitting to take Australia to 93-4 in seven overs against a formidable pace attack of Pakistan.

For the unversed, due to the rain and thunderstorms, the match was reduced to seven overs.

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Australia, after being invited to bat first by the Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, struck 16 runs in the first over, however, Jake Fraser-McGurk (9) fell prey to Naseem Shah on the first ball of the next over.

Glenn Maxwell joined Matthew Short and smashed four boundaries to Naseem, taking Australia’s total to 33-1 in two overs.

Haris Rauf forced Pakistan’s comeback after two expensive overs as he gave away only three runs and removed Matthew Short (7).

However his next over was expensive as Maxwell, who fell thrice to Haris during the ODI series, struck him for two sixes and one four.

Maxwell’s blistering 43-run knock came to an end in the next over when he was caught by Usman Khan at deep square leg off Abbas Afridi.

The all-rounder conceded 19 balls and hit eight boundaries, including three sixes, during his entertaining knock.

Abbas dismissed Tim David (9) in the same over courtesy of Irfan Khan’s catch at deep midwicket.

Stoinis struck 20 runs in the last over of Naseem to lift Australia’s total to 93-4. He remained unbeaten at 21 off seven, laced with two fours and one six.

For Pakistan, Abbas took two wickets, while Naseem and Haris bagged one each.

Playing XIs

Australia: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Josh Inglis (c)(wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haseebullah Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah

READ: Shahid Afridi on India’s refusal to tour Pakistan for Champions Trophy

BRISBANE: The toss of the first T20I of the three-match series between Pakistan and Australia has been delayed due to bad weather here on Thursday.

The weather in the city has been consistently rainy, and the forecast predicts further rain and thunderstorms today.

Notably, Pakistan, under newly-appointed captain Mohammad Rizwan, defeated Australia in the third ODI by eight wickets in Perth to win their first series Down Under since 2002.

The visitors lost the first match of the three-match series by two wickets, however, they staged an impressive comeback to win the series 2-1.

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The Green Shirts are now aiming to continue their winning run and create history with a T20I series victory over Australia.

Meanwhile, Australia, under stand-in captain Josh Inglis, would be looking to bounce back despite the absence of their key players, who are resting to stay fresh for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.

Squads for Pakistan-Australia T20I series

Australia: Josh Inglis (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Philippe, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Abbas Afridi, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

READ: Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan invites Indian cricketers to Pakistan

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam, in a heartwarming gesture, donated his game-worn Test jersey to the Usman Khawaja Foundation at The Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Babar’s iconic jersey is set to be auctioned off, with all proceedings dedicated to the Usman Khawaja Foundation.

For the unversed, the foundation is committed to empowering youth from diverse backgrounds, including those who are refugees, immigrants, Indigenous, and individuals from rural, remote, and low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Australian opening batter thanked Babar for his generous gesture and commended the Pakistani star for his eagerness to support his foundation.

“Babar has been great! He texted me not long ago when he heard the announcement with Cricket Australia [CA]. ‘Usman, can I do anything to help? I’d love to donate one of my T20I final jerseys?’ [narrating Babar’s text message],” Usman Khawaja stated.

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“But instead, he’s got a Test shirt that he wanted to donate. Babar Azam, obviously one of the great Pakistani cricketers. I really appreciate your support and help,” he added.

Khawaja further revealed his ambitious plans to establish a lasting connection between his foundation and The Gabba Test, envisioning it as an annual event.

His inspiration comes from The McGrath Foundation, which has been an integral part of the Sydney Test, dedicating itself to raising awareness and educating young Australian women about breast cancer.

“We’ve got the pink Test in Sydney. We’re trying to make the Usman Khawaja Foundation a part of the Gabba Test,” Khawaja said.

“I didn’t speak English [when arriving in Australia from Pakistan as a child]. Cricket broke down the barriers for me. I never felt isolated when I played sport,” he concluded.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan clears air on opening pair for T20I series against Australia

Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday responded to a question about the opening pair for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, starting tomorrow in Brisbane.

The 32-year-old, during the media talk at The Gabba, was asked about Pakistan’s Playing XI for the series opener as well as the opening pair in the absence of Saim Ayyub and Fakhar Zaman.

Rizwan stated that the best possible line-up will be fielded; however, the combination has been kept as a ‘secret’ for now.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the playing XI, but we’ve kept it a secret for now because there are some things I want to keep to myself. Once the decisions are finalized, we’ll share them,” said Rizwan.

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“As for the opening, we always aim to stick with what’s working best, while also focusing on areas that need improvement. I always try to consult with others and make decisions that are in the best interest of Pakistan, whatever the situation may be,” he added.

For the unversed, during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Rizwan opened the innings for Pakistan with Saim Ayub, however, the latter is not part of the upcoming series, prompting speculations about the opening pair.

Squads for Pakistan-Australia T20I series

Australia: Josh Inglis (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Philippe, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Abbas Afridi, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

READ: Rizwan opens up on Amir, Imad’s absence from T20I squad

Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan recently discussed the absence of experienced pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim from the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia, which starts tomorrow.

Amir and Wasim came out of international retirement earlier this year and made themselves available for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which was played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June.

Wasim managed three wickets in three games at an average of 14.66 and scored a meagre 19 runs in two outings. Meanwhile, Amir was Pakistan’s best bowler in the tournament, taking seven wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 10.28.

However, their presence did not help as Pakistan crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

Since the T20 World Cup, Pakistan cricket has undergone many changes, including Mohammad Rizwan replacing Babar Azam as the white-ball captain.

In his first assignment as captain, Rizwan successfully guided his team to a historic victory, breaking a 22-year drought by securing an ODI series win in Australia.

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During a media talk before the first T20I in Brisbane, Rizwan was asked about the changes in the squad since the T20 World Cup, especially the exclusion of key players such as Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman.

The wicket-keeper acknowledged the services of the aforementioned players and stated that it would not be easy for the youngsters to fill in their shoes.

“The names you’ve mentioned [Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman] are big names. It’s not easy to fill the gap they have left. You can’t replace them overnight; it will take some time,” he said.

“All four have contributed a lot to the team, and it’s hard to say how long it will take to fill their roles in the Pakistan lineup fully. Hopefully, with time, especially in T20s, we’ll find the right balance.”

However, he mentioned that he and his team is currently focusing on the upcoming series and aiming to win that in the first place.

“But right now, our focus is on the current series and how we can field the best XI. We’re working on it and have something in mind for that,” he concluded.

READ: Champions Trophy: Pakistan demands explanation for India’s refusal